Residents, Solid Waste Authority urge Cabell County Commission to place recycling levy on November ballot

Several residents and members of the Cabell County Solid Waste Authority urged the Cabell County Commission on July 28 to allow voters to decide a proposed levy that authority members say is needed to resume recycling operations.

Alan Deines, a Cabell County resident, told the commissioners he wanted the levy placed on the ballot so citizens could vote for or against it. Monty Fowler, also a resident, said he had been told the Commission had declined a request to place the levy on the agenda and asked the body to put the question before voters. County Attorney William Watson replied that the Commission could not act because the item had not been placed on the agenda.

Steven Zoeller, a member of the Solid Waste Authority board, said the board voted unanimously to ask that the levy be put to voters. He gave the proposed rates: "$3.60 per each $100,000.00 of the home's value" for residential properties and "$7.20 per each $100,000.00 of the business's value" for commercial properties. Zoeller said the authority also was seeking a $150,000 state grant to establish a recycling processing location, buy equipment and hire one employee, and that eligibility for that grant would depend on levy approval.

Tom Bell, another Solid Waste Authority board member, characterized the recycling program as popular with residents and said the authority had received hundreds of emails since the program was discontinued in June. Bell cited a survey result showing that "67% of Huntington residents were in favor of recycling." Helen Gibbons, a resident, also addressed the Commission to voice support for the levy.

The Commission did not place the levy on the agenda or act on the request during the July 28 meeting. No motion to refer the levy to the ballot was made or voted on that day.